Democratic New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez traveled to Tennessee on Saturday to campaign for state Representative Justin Pearson, who is running for the U.S. House seat currently held by retiring Democratic Representative Steve Cohen.
During the campaign appearance, where she was joined by Democratic Massachusetts Representative Ayanna Pressley, Ocasio-Cortez adopted a altered, rhythmic speaking style reminiscent of a Southern preacher. She urged Democratic voters and organizers not to abandon political efforts in traditionally Republican-leaning states.
“We cannot afford to leave Tennessee behind,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “We cannot afford to leave Kentucky behind, Alabama behind, Mississippi behind, Georgia behind, South Carolina behind.”
The speech marked a return to the campaign trail for Ocasio-Cortez, who has maintained a lower public profile following a February appearance at the Munich Security Conference where her response regarding U.S. policy toward Taiwan drew public scrutiny.
During her remarks in Tennessee, Ocasio-Cortez reiterated a strategic call for Northern Democrats to focus more heavily on the region, repeating concepts from a May political appearance in Montgomery, Alabama.
“We will not be chased out of places anymore, brothers and sisters,” Ocasio-Cortez told the crowd. “It’s going take all us together rejecting separation, for us organize and speak life into one another because we will, we will see the day where we will turn the crooked path straight.”
READ: Fourth Circuit Denies Guatemalan Man’s Asylum Appeal Over MS-13 Gang Threats
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
